Survey: Pick the top stories of 2011

We covered a lot of news in 2011. Some of it was heartbreaking, such as the numerous deaths that occurred in Yosemite National Park during the spring and summer months. Some of it had a harsh local impact, such as the steep budget cuts endured by Merced County, school districts and other local agencies. And some of the stories we broke gained national attention -- YouTube's Starbucks Rant song, anyone?

Sun-Star reporters have picked out their top stories of 2011, and now we're asking readers to vote on the stories they think were the most important. Your selections will be revealed in the Monday edition of the Sun-Star.